But as the classically-trained
singer opens his voice to perform The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea
Bocelli, Jonathan soon has the judges on the BGT in raptures – and
Cowell calling him a ‘huge star’.

Well done! Simon Cowell is taken aback when the duo are good singers

And in an echo of Susan Boyle’s first
appearance on the ITV talent show, the teenager, who performs with his
signing partner Charlotte Jaconelli, 16, admits he is highly unconfident
after years of abuse.

Cowell, 52, says: ‘You’re not saying much Jonathan. Are you shy?’, to which he replies: ‘Sometimes.

I’ve
always had problems with my size since I can remember and when I was in
primary school. It was back then that I had the p*** taken out of me,
that’s all.’

He then credits Charlotte, whom he
met through his singing teacher, adding: ‘Charlotte’s been a really big
help to me in terms of confidence and making me a better performer, and I
really don’t want to be going up on stage today, but I didn’t have a
choice about that.’

Charlotte
added: ‘I’m quite protective of Jonathan now. Before you make a
judgement about someone you should get to know them. It’s clichéd, but
judging a book by its cover. You’ve got to read what’s inside.’

After their performance, the entire crowd at the Hammersmith Apollo erupt into applause, and judge

Alesha Dixon tells them: ‘It’s not very often that that happens. That you can move an audience like that.

‘You sing beautifully together. So well done.’

Judge David Walliams added: ‘A pop voice and an opera voice together. It was incredible.’

However,
Cowell attempts to split the duo up, saying: ‘Okay, this is what I
think, Charlotte. I think you’re good, but Jonathan – you’re
unbelievable.

‘You have an outstandingly good voice. How old are you? That’s unbelievable. Jonathan, you are a huge star.

Tanned and fabulous: A duo named Two of a Kind take to the stage during the first episode

Dramatic: Simon Cowell is sure to like this elaborate act

Very different contestants: A warrior named Anthony and a guitarist named Sam

‘I like the fact that this works as a duo, but I worry Charlotte whether you are going to hold him back.’Defiant, Jonathan tells the music mogul: ‘Well, we’ve come on here as a duo and we’re going to stay on here as a duo’.

As they get a yes from all the
judges, Cowell admits defeat – for the time being – saying: ‘You know
what. My head would say to you Jonathan, dump her. And then my heart
would say, ‘but there is something kind of magical at moments together
as well’. So I am going to say yes to the two of you.’When
asked by hosts Ant and Dec if that felt like a life-changing moment,
Jonathan says ‘yes, to be honest.’ And Charlotte adds: ‘I think – for
you.’

The pair will now perform in the live semi-finals.

The battle of the singers: Girls take to the stage

Do you like our style? A duo named Bradley and Barbara give it their all

The audience is very much in
keeping of that of Susan Boyle, who shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent
in April 2009 after she subdued hecklers with a rendition of I Dreamed a
Dream, from the musical Les Miserables.

Following
the show, where she came runner-up to dance act Diversity, Miss Boyle
was treated at the Priory clinic for exhaustion, but went on to find
worldwide fame.

The
former church volunteer, who lives alone with her cat in Blackburn, West
Lothian, has since amassed a fortune of more than £10million after
selling more than 16million copies of her three albums to date.

The
singer – nicknamed SuBo - was named one of top music money makers of
2011 by American magazine Billboard after earning a staggering £3
million alone ($4,770,339) last year. She is now one of the most
successful recording artists ever.